Long before hip-hop found its status as the dominating musical genre, the blues made its way up from the Deep South and found a home in Chicago, where some of the most stylish men poured their hearts out onto 12-bar songs. And following the city's tradition of great blues musicians, one of Chicago's best men's shops, Apartment Number 9, has started a series where it talks to the musicians of old and their perception of style.
First up in the video series is John Primer, a Chicago-style blues guitarist and singer, who looks back at how Muddy Waters, and how he didn't change his style, influenced him. When we talk "classic style," it's normally centered around something so simple, so good, that it doesn't need much fixing. Maybe just a little tweak. And that's exactly what Chicago blues is, an electrified version of Southern pain songs.
We often look to musicians to find influence, but you can also grasp a touch of style with a deeper-rooted meaning from Primer, and how he's able to combine different elements and make something great. Give it a chance in your wardrobe this year, and Apartment Number 9 is a great place to start. The shop carries clothes from Maison Martin Margiela, A.P.C., Billy Reid, Jack Spade, and more. All stylish clothes that can cross any sort of aesthetic boundary. Check the shop's selection here.
